Fallen in Love with a Gentleman
by Alec Davenport
Summary: He was a gentleman and she was a servant - a servant that had fallen in love.


Gabriel Lightwood was startled for a moment when he bumped into Sophie in the dim hallway. Having been preoccupied with his own thoughts, he stared at her for a moment as his thoughts raced to catch up.

"Ms. Collins," he said and bent down to pick up the silver tray she had been holding. Luckily, it had been empty. "My apologies, my mind had been elsewhere."

Gratefully taking the tray from him, Sophie bent over in a curt bow. "The fault was entirely mine. Forgive me for my own thoughts had been absent."

Offering him an apologetic smile, Sophie moved aside but paused in realisation that Gabriel was still staring at her in a most peculiar way. "Was there something you needed, Mr Lightwood?"

Gabriel looked sheepish as he ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "Might-might I have a moment of your time, Ms. Collins? There is a matter I feel the need to discuss with you. It is about my brother."

_Gideon_.

Sophie remained still, her face betraying no emotion. Gabriel was no longer looking at her, instead, his eyes had settled on the bedroom door to her right. Her eyes widened and she glanced up and down the familiar hallway to realise that the door would lead to Gideon's room. The thought of Gideon brought a welcome warmth to her cheeks and a leap in her heart that she fought hard to keep down. "Is there something wrong with-" she swallowed. "with Gideon?"

Gabriel moved to lean his back on the wall opposite Gideon's door. Undisturbed by the possibility of waking his brother - Gideon was most likely in deep slumber by this hour - his eyes were locked on his brother's door. "I would ask that you do not mistrust by brother's sincerity towards you, Ms. Collins. He has made it expressly clear, to me if not others, of his affection for you and I can assure you he is sincere."

Sophie made a surprised noise. "I- He should not-"

"He mutters your name in his sleep and as long as I have known him, he has _never _muttered the name of a woman in his sleep - a fact he should never know I related to you."

"That- that isn't entirely appropriate," Sophie muttered, and she wondered if her cheeks were red as cherries.

Gabriel laughed softly. "I do not wish to sound conceited, Ms. Collins, but as Lightwoods, the company kept by my father gravitated towards the wealthy and powerful. Among those were countless beautiful women - many of whom, as you can imagine, had sights on him. But you, Ms. Collins, are the first to have actually succeeded in that aspect."

If her embarrassment could be any greater, Sophie was sure that her cheeks would set themselves alight. Still, she noticed the bitterness in his voice at the mention of his father. She held her hands in front of her, the silver tray dangling and glinting against the dimmed light of the witchlights. "He is a very kind and gentle man, your brother."

"Very unlike me," Gabriel said and they shared a smile. "He is quiet and loyal to his cause - much the same way my mother had been."

"He would make a good husband someday, and-" Sophie paused, wondering if her words were at all appropriate to be said aloud. "And I would envy that woman."

"And that is why I am here," Gabriel said. "I have seen the way you look at him; your affection for him is not as well hidden as you may have hoped."

Sophie's gaze dropped to her feet; her shoes were spotlessly clean as was expected of a maid - and that was all she was. "It does not matter. He is a gentleman, and I am a maid. I would not betray all that Ms. Branwell has done for me for an agenda so.."

"If frivolous is the word you search for, then perhaps my brother sees you in too high a regard, Ms. Collins," Gabriel said, his tone sharp, almost a reprimand. "Perhaps so have I."

Sophie's eyes widened in panic. "No, I did not mean any offence. I just-" She slumped against the wall and sighed. "Oh my. I have gotten myself into a mess."

Gabriel's eyes were kind as his eyes shifted from the door to her. "Gideon is my brother. He is all the family I have left for Tatiana is all but dead to us." He approached her hesitantly. "I ask that you do not hurt him. If you do not return his affections, then tell him so. But do not go on giving him a false hope."

"I am but a maid, Mr Lightwood," Sophie muttered. "He deserves-"

"He deserves a woman he loves that loves him in return," Gabriel said in a pleading tone. "My father," he said bitterly. "laid with _demons_. I do not think Gideon cares that you are a maid, and nor do I."

"Did you just relate your brother's affections for me to your father's taking of demons?"

Gabriel turned white. "I- no- that was not-"

Sophie let a wisp of a giggle escape her. "I only jest, Mr. Lightwood."

"My brother would slay me in my sleep if he were to find out," Gabriel said, ruefully glancing at his brother's door. "I pray that would keep my secret - for my own safety."

"You have my word."

"Then, good night Ms. Collins," said Gabriel. He looked at her with hesitation for a moment before nodding and disappearing into the darkness.

Sophie was pacing. She was worried and so she paced, back and forth, forth and back as she waited. The entryway was brightly lit by witchlight and candles and she still had her silver tray in her hands though she didn't know why. Cyril had informed her that Gideon had taken one of the Lightwood horses on the early morning without mention of his destination and now darkness was beginning to settle on London and he had yet to return.

"Irresponsible...crazed..." she muttered a string of words as she paced when the sound of the large doors opening stilled her. She turned to see the Gideon step in, his sandy blond hair damp. She watched as his face brightened when he saw her and her own heart jumped.

"Sophie?" He approached her hesitantly and took in the worry on her face with a frown. "Has something happened? What's wrong?"

She took in the worry mirrored on his face and yearned to reach out to him, but mentally shook herself free. "You left this morning without nary a word, Mr. Lightwood. I was worried."

"Worried? _About me_?"

_He looks pleased_, Sophie thought. "Of course. You are a guest of the Institute, I must worry." She watched as he recoiled from her words and the yearning to hold him close grew almost unbearable. _Almost_.

Gideon looked at her, an intimate sadness resting in his eyes as he sighed. "Thank you, Ms. Collins. If you would excuse me-" He turned on his heels and ascended the stairs, pausing for a moment, then continuing on.

Sophie made a sound and she watched as she pictured herself bounding up the stairs after him, to have him take her in his arms, and to feel his lips against her own. But instead, she shook her head and turned away with a secret smile. He was a gentleman and she was a maid - a maid that had surreptitiously fallen in love with a gentleman.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for reading, and please leave a review and let me know your thoughts._


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